Dexter Morgen- Vigilante Serial Killer Essay Example for Free

Dexter Morgen- Vigilante Serial Killer Essay To those who disagree with the stance of fictional vigilantly heroes such as Dexter Morgan, in effort to convince them that the vigilante’s actions have earned societys full support, the offenses commonly lain against them will be disproved and a new perspective will be given to support them. Dexter is a serial killer in Miami, FL from Dexter, a series on Showtime; however Dexter only kills murderers. Dexter is considered a felon and his actions are a capitol offense. Many would consider that grounds for Dexter to be thrown into jail, or even face death-row. But look at all the murder we allow and encourage today. Our military is trained to kill Americas enemies. While not everyone approves of war and while no one enjoys it, war is a part of our past and will be a part of our future. If nothing else, war must be accepted. Killing has gone on since the beginning of human history- whether that is Cain and Able, or the war between Sumer and Elam. Who gets to decide who is an enemy of America? The obvious answer is Congress. But Congress is a group of elected officials here to serve its people. Our government of the people, by the people, and for the people is created for us. So ultimately we decide who our enemies are. We the people decided who we go to war with- who we kill. How do we decide who is an enemy of America? There are many acceptable answers such as: any one who threatens our interests, any one who disagrees with our laws, or any one who attacks our country. September 11, 2001 a terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda attacked America by sending planes through the World Trade Centers in New York and the Pentagon in Virginia. Al-Qaeda unjustly killed 3,000 Americans and Americans justly kill people like this every day. If killing and war are accepted responses to threats posed against the way we live, then who makes the distinction between what killing is just and when killing is necessary. The answer is simple- the law. This topic no longer becomes a moral issue but an issue of law. If Dexter, like our troops over seas, is killing murders then morally Dexter has support. But not full support- not support from the law. There is no arguing murder is against the law, but there are no doubt exceptions. The military is a great example of citizens who, by our laws, can kill. These men are legally allowed to, or licensed, to kill. These are the citizens who kill murders that have or will murder Americans if given the chance. These murderers exist not only over seas, but also in America- killing 16,000 Americans annually. The court system will do the best they to capture them, but what happens when they fail? When citizens stand up against a crook, murderer, or rapist, the punishment lies with the man who rid the world of the injustice; the man that can not let injustice stand is the man that the law says is out of hand. Why should the good be punished? Murder is usually considered an act of passion. Its usually a one time thing which is why most murderers dont get the death penalty. However, certain acts of passion fit the bill on who should get killed in the electric chair. A man who rapes and murderers victims deserves a much more severe punishment than the man who shot that felon. Most wouldnt mind that the rapist was killed and most would believe that the man who shot the rapist had a good mind to do it. If these actions were perfectly legal, it would spark a movement. A movement that would result in the death or thousand of people who believe they are capable of killing felons too. A movement begun with the good intention of cleaning up our streets that will end with them covered in blood. Civilians should not be encouraged to fight crime. But just like policemen and detectives, with training they can. A license to kill these murderers is the best weapon against them. A process should be set in place to allow for this. When the system fails, these licensed killers can put to rest those who murder. Dexter must find proof of the murderers guilt. It is part of his â€Å"code.† A set of rules made for what person he can kill. Dexter can only kill someone who is a murder, for no condonable reason. If Dexter finds this proof, he is free to kill. Why not make the code the description for who a licensed killer can kill? This will lower the rates of overall death tolls and will stop other murderers who kill for a morally wrong reason or for none at all. If Dexter can kill legally, he has then earned all the support he needs. Dexter doesnt need to be famous, he doesn’t need to have to world accept him, he just needs understanding. He has urges to kill, so why not use them for good? Dexters dark side could be used to created a brighter world, because there can be no light without the dark. If Dexter could be given a license to kill, we all would be in a safer place.

The Characters of For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls Essay -- For Whom

The Characters of For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls  Ã‚     Ã‚   For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls is Christopher Durang's hilarious 1994 parody of The Glass Menagerie, a 1945 play by Tennessee Williams. In both plays, the main characters must deal with several serious problems, including isolation, fear of the outside world, and the need for understanding. Whereas the characters in The Glass Menagerie handle their problems in a relatively serious manner, those in For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls take a more farcical approach. For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls offers an alternate view of the situations in The Glass Menagerie, and it comments on how the American society has changed since the 1940s. Durang's parody accomplishes its humor by developing extreme versions of the characters in The Glass Menagerie through magnification of their faults and idiosyncrasies: Laura's shyness toward the world, Amanda's lack of understanding for her children, Tom's anger with his family, and Jim's partial deafness (however minor in Williams' play). It is more difficult to sympathize with Lawrence in For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls than with Laura in The Glass Menagerie because he is so much more irritating and pathetic than his female counterpart. Laura is a young woman who suffers from extreme shyness and self-consciousness because she has a slightly malformed leg and needs to wear a leg brace; consequently, she is afraid to talk to new people and enter new situations. Laura's psychological problems are amplified in Lawrence, who fakes several ailments, including asthma, eczema, and a crippled leg. He never leaves the safety of his house, and his only friends are his glass swizzle sticks, which he gives such names as "Q-tip" (1942), "Ther... ...children's; in addition, Durang adds two homosexual characters: Tom and Ginny. This is evidence that For Whom the Belle Tolls does more than just provide a humorous approach to the situations in The Glass Menagerie: it shows how the American society and family have changed since Williams wrote his play. According to Durang, people have become more open with their personal feelings and sexuality, but they have also become more self-centered. Works Cited Durang, Christopher. For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls. Literature and Its Writers: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Eds. Ann Charters and Samuel Charters. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997. 1937-1948. Williams, Tennessee. "The Glass Menagerie." Literature and Its Writers: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Eds. Ann Charters and Samuel Charters. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997. 1704-1750.      

Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights Essay

Who or what does Heathcliff represent in Wuthering Heights? Is he a force of evil or a victim of it and how important is the role of class in the novel, particularly as it relates to Heathcliff and his life? The ‘moral ambiguity, glamour and degradation that is Heathcliff’ (same as below) forms the ultimate focus for the novel Wuthering Heights, beginning as Heathcliff is brought into the Earnshaw family, with his evil machinations completely driving the story and his death marking the conclusion of the novel. Throughout Bronte’s work he is portrayed as a strong figure who remains mysterious, magnetic and charismatic, keeping countless readers engaged throughout centuries through the desire to understand both Heathcliff’s character and his motivations. Tortured, brooding, passionate and dark, Heathcliff is undoubtedly the embodiment of the Byronic hero, i.e. a self-destructive anti-hero who is isolated from society, much like Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre or, more recently, Edward Cullen from the Twilight series. While his actions throughout the novel are neither likeable, nor condonable, they are driven by passion, an emotion synonymous with a typical literary hero and this, alongside his torturous love for Cathy, means that readers cannot help but feel empathy for him, bringing them closer to Heathcliff than any other character in the novel. Wuthering Heights provoked a good deal of anxiety when published, most of which was caused by the character of Heathcliff. The Examiner felt outraged by the mixture of affection and loathing he inspired, and even Emily’s sister, Charlotte felt ‘hard put to justify Heathcliff’s ‘repulsiveness’ and was forced onto the defensive. The creation of Heathcliff, she conceded, may not have been advisable.’ (Cambridge companion to the Bronte’s, page 166) Not solely a Byronic hero, Heathcliff is also seen to be a ‘nightmarish manifestation of subtler fears about self-making gone too far’. (Forgery in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture p. 13) Heathcliff is the epitome of a self-made man, rising from a degraded and abused orphan on the streets of Liverpool to a man of property, wealth, success and culture, a man ‘in dress and manners a gentleman: that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire’ (Wuthering Heights p.21) a mere twenty five years later. This climb to wealth fundamentally embodies the anxieties that upper and  middle class Victorians possessed regarding the working classes. The upper classes were very ambivalent about the people below them socially; feeling charitable towards the lower-classes, yet weary of the idea that they may escape their circumstances through the acquisition of power, be it political, social, economic or cultural. The role of class in the novel is something of a constant struggle for Heathcliff, as although he manages to obtain property and therefore wealth, he can never change his appearance, which implies more socially than his wealth ever can. For even as Lockwood notes his gentlemanly appearance, he also recognises Heathcliff as a ‘dark-skinned gipsy in aspect’ (Wuthering Heights p.21), showing how his ethnic background presents an unusual contrast to his master of the house image, and how he can never truly escape his social standing. This social standing has an enormous effect on the character of Heathcliff and his life as the novel progresses. Rescued from the streets of Liverpool, Heathcliff enters the Earnshaw household a poor orphan, which automatically deems him to be on a lower level than any other character. He is immediately characterised as a ‘villain’, ‘imp of Satan’, with a language of ‘gibberish’ (Wuthering Heights) and is cruelly referred to as â€Å"it† by Catherine’s father, seen as an object rather than a person. This poor treatment is not much of an improvement on his difficult childhood and it is clear to see that he becomes a product of this neglect and abuse. Racially different, Heathcliff can and will never be accepted by his adoptive family, something which is highlighted to readers through the fact that he is never given the Earnshaw family name. Nelly uses an interesting choice of words to describe how the occupants of Wuthering Heights felt about Heathcliff’s arrival, saying ‘from the very beginning, he bred bad feeling in the house.’ (Wuthering heights ch. 4) These words are evocative as there is much speculation surrounding Heathcliff’s heritage. Coming from Liverpool, a town with high rates of immigrants, and with his dark looks, Heathcliff is likely of mixed race, with some critics suggesting that he is black, or, like Patrick Bronte, descended from Irish immigrants, either of which would lower his social standing even further. The theme of class is further intertwined in the plot as Heathcliff’s low  class ranking is one of the sole reasons that Catherine chooses to marry Edgar rather than to be with him, despite the fact that while her feelings towards Edgar fluctuate, she loves Heathcliff so intensely that she claims they are the same person. She finds Edgar ‘handsome and pleasant to be with’ (Wuthering Heights), yet these are merely superficialities; Catherine truly marries Edgar because he is a part of the right social class, possessing the ability to provide financial security for her. She has  clearly considered the prospect of marrying Heathcliff as she not only tells Nelly that if Heathcliff and she were to marry ‘we should be beggars’ (Wuthering Heights) but also reveals plans to use Edgar’s money to help Heathcliff rise in the class system. After Heathcliff returns, Catherine cannot contain her happiness, forcing Edgar to ask her to choose between Heathcliff and him. She refuses to honour that request, later blaming both men for breaking her heart as she could not choose between her love for Heathcliff and the life that Edgar could offer her. Marrying Edgar guaranteed Catherine a higher social standing. Overall, Heathcliff’s role in the Victorian class hierarchy plays an integral role in major events of his life. It is the reason he is abused by the master of the house, the reason that Catherine chooses Edgar over him, leading him to seek revenge and to make something of himself, but, above all, it is the reason he acts so despicably in the latter half of the novel, encouraging Isabella’s infatuation and acting aggressively. None of these events would have taken place if Heathcliff was of a higher social class, as he would have simply been able to marry Catherine. Throughout the text, Heathcliff is repeatedly referred to as being evil in ‘nature†¦ an unmannerly wretch’ (wuthering heights), with his own wife even asking if he is mad or a devil. Most of the characters assume that individuals are born good or evil, with people having little control over their personalities or actions. However, is Heathcliff truly a force of evil or merely a victim of it? Is it possible that he could represent both? It is undeniable that Heathcliff is a product of his upbringing. He was neglected, which in turn made him neglectful. He was abused, and so became abusive. He was segregated from the other characters, and so he cast everyone aside from  himself. He was treated unfairly throughout his upbringing, making him violent and resentful in later life. Heathcliff is the utmost paradigm of a victim turned perpetrator, and often falls back on violence as a means to express his feelings of both love and hatred. His anger is due to the mistreatment he suffered at the hands of Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley and Catherine, tying it to the revenge which he so passionately seeks. Despite this, Heathcliff also undertakes dishonourable, cruel acts against those who have done no harm to him in the past, demonstrating a side of him which shows that he is not solely a victim of evil, but also possesses a dark streak. The best example of this is the hanging of Isabella Linton’s dog, when Heathcliff says: The first thing she saw me do, on coming out of the Grange, was to hang up her little dog; and when she pleaded for it, the first words I uttered were a wish that I had the hanging of every being belonging to her, except one possibly she took that exception for herself. (WH chapter 12) Ultimately though, Heathcliff’s violence and darkness stems from bearing a chip on his shoulder and hanging onto the complexes gained from his past. He may possess a mean streak, however this has ultimately come as a consequence of his early life. Therefore, he is not a force of evil as such, as he had reason for the majority of his actions. No matter how violent or despicable Heathcliff may be by times, he cannot help but remain likeable, due in part to his love of Catherine. His love for her is violent in the sense that it is extremely passionate, but it stirs a brutal defensiveness; Heathcliff would never do anything to harm Catherine. Towards the end of the novel, he confesses to Nelly that he no longer has any interest in violence. This is not so much because he has sated his appetite for it, but rather he has gone past the need to inflict suffering onto others as a form of vengeance, proving that cruelty was never truly an inbuilt feature of his character. The real discomfort created by the novel when published was not ‘so much that Heathcliff is atrocious, but that he is not, after all, entirely despicable.’ (cambridge 167) The novel consistently gives the impression that there is more to Heathcliff’s actions than meets the eye, for example,  his cruelty is seen as merely an expression of his frustrated love for Catherine, or his sinister behaviour conceals the heart of a romantic hero. His character is expected to have a hidden virtue as he resembles a romantic hero, partly due to his overt masculinity, although this is taken to extremes of aggressiveness by times. Traditionally, heroes of romanticism appear dangerous, brooding and cold only to later emerge as loving and devoted. While Heathcliff does not reform as expected, there is no need for him to do so, as he remains permanently devoted and passionate about Catherine, although unable to clearly portray these emotions. Certain malevolence proves difficult to explain, as it cannot be deemed a form of revenge against people who have previously wronged him. As he himself points out, his abuse of Isabella is purely for his sadistic amusement, seeing how much she will endure while still returning. Critic Joyce Carol Oates argues that Brontà « does to the reader that which Heathcliff does to Isabella, testing to see how much the reader can be shocked by Heathcliff’s gratuitous violence and still,  masochistically, insist on seeing him as a romantic hero. Oates has a valid point, as, for all his flaws and sadistic actions, one cannot hate, or even dislike the character of Heathcliff, seeing him solely as a wounded soul who tries to get back at those who previously hurt him, making him the ultimate Byr onic hero of Nineteenth Century literature.

What Is the Jet Stream and How It Affects Our Weather

Youve probably heard the words jet stream many times while watching weather forecasts on TV. Thats because the jet stream and its location is key to forecasting where weather systems will travel. Without it, there would be nothing to help steer our daily weather from location to location. Rivers of Rapidly Moving Air Named for their similarity to fast moving jets of water, jet streams are bands of strong winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere. Jet streams form at the boundaries of contrasting air masses. When warm and cold air meet, the difference in their air pressures as a result of their temperature differences (recall that warm air is less dense, and cold air, more dense) causes air to flow from higher pressure (the warm air mass) to lower pressure (the cold air mass), thereby creating high winds. Because the differences in temperature, and therefore, pressure, are very large, so too is the strength of the resulting winds. Jet Stream Location, Speed,Direction Jet streams live at the tropopause (about 6 to 9 miles off  the ground) and are several thousand miles long. Jet stream winds range in speed from 120 to 250 mph, but can reach more than 275 mph. Oftentimes, the jet houses pockets of winds that move faster than the surrounding jet stream winds. These jet streaks play an important role in precipitation and storm formation. (If a jet streak is visually divided into fourths, like a pie, its left front and right rear quadrants are the most favorable for precipitation and storm development. If a weak  low pressure area  passes through either of these locations, it will quickly strengthen into a dangerous storm.) Jet  winds blow from west to east, but also meander north to south in a wave-shaped pattern. These waves and large ripples (known as planetary, or Rossby waves) form U-shaped troughs of low pressure that allow cold air to spill southwards, and upside-down U-shaped ridges of high pressure that bring warm air northwards.  Ã‚   Discovered by Weather Balloons One of the first names associated with the jet stream is Wasaburo Oishi. A Japanese meteorologist, Oishi discovered the jet stream in the 1920s while using weather balloons to track upper level winds near Mount Fuji. However, his work went unnoticed outside of Japan. In 1933, knowledge of the jet stream increased when American aviator Wiley Post began exploring long-distance, high-altitude flight. Despite these discoveries, the term jet stream was not coined until 1939 by German meteorologist Heinrich Seilkopf. Meet the Polar and Subtropical Jets While we typically talk about the jet stream as if there was only one, there are actually two: a polar jet stream and a subtropical jet stream. The Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere each have both a polar and a subtropical branch of the jet. The Polar Jet:  In North America, the polar jet is more commonly known as the jet or the mid-latitude jet (so-called because it occurs over the mid-latitudes).The Subtropical Jet:  The subtropical jet is named for its existence at 30 °N and 30 °S latitude—a climate zone known as the subtropics. It forms at the boundary temperature difference between air at mid-latitudes and warmer air near the equator. Unlike the polar jet, the subtropical jet is only present in the wintertime—the only time of year when temperature contrasts in the subtropics are strong enough to form jet winds. The subtropical jet is generally weaker than the polar jet. It is most pronounced over the western Pacific. Jet Position Changes With the Seasons Jet streams change position, location, and strength depending on the season. In the winter, areas in the Northern Hemisphere may get colder than normal periods as the jet stream dips lower bringing cold air in from the polar regions. Although the height of the jet stream is typically 20,000 feet or more, the influences on weather patterns can be substantial as well. High wind speeds can drive and direct storms creating devastating droughts and floods. A shift in the jet stream is a suspect in the causes of the Dust Bowl. In spring, the polar jet starts to journey north from its winter position along the lower third of the U.S., back to its permanent home at 50-60 °N latitude (over Canada). As the jet gradually lifts northward, highs and lows are steered along its path and across the regions where its currently positioned. Why does the jet stream move? Well, jet streams follow the Sun, Earths primary source of heat energy. Recall that in spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the Suns vertical rays go from striking the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 ° south latitude) to striking more northerly latitudes (until it reaches the Tropic of Cancer, 23.5 ° north latitude, on the summer solstice). As these northerly latitudes warm, the jet stream, which occurs near boundaries of cold and warm air masses, must also shift northward to remain at the opposing edge of warm and cool air. Locating Jets on Weather Maps On surface maps: Many news and media that broadcast weather forecasts show the jet stream as a moving band of arrows across the U.S., but  the jet stream isnt a standard feature of surface analysis maps. Heres an easy way to eyeball the jet position: since it steers high and low pressure systems, simply note where these are located and draw a continuous curved line in-between them, taking care to arch your line over highs and underneath lows. On upper level maps: The jet stream lives at heights of 30,000 to 40,000 feet above Earths surface. At these altitudes, atmospheric pressure equals around 200 to 300 mb; this is why the 200 and 300 mb level upper air charts are typically used for jet stream forecasting. When looking at other upper level maps, the jet position can be guessed by noting where pressure or wind contours are spaced close together.